"Because of the history of our country and because of the images we receive when we're growing up, et cetera, oftentimes there's a presumption that black men are risky, so that has to be worked through", Obama said during the town-hall-style conversation, which was aired by ABC.

The special, called "The President and The People: A National Conversation, addressed recent gun violence in the nation, as well as the growing tension among Americans". "It's counterproductive if you're not", Obama said.

He was on a plane the next morning heading to the White House. Because you might need them someday to help you so take the time get involved in your local community block watch if you have 1 in your city or town you live because you will get to know the police and you will get to know your neighbors.

Last night's meeting included Black Lives Matter activists, civil rights leaders, members of the NAACP, law enforcement, and elected officials.

"From the law enforcement perspective, we hear it, we understand it", said Terry Cunningham, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Later, Garner took to Twitter to complain that tough questions had been banned.

Obama responded sternly, telling Patrick he has been "unequivocal in condemning any rhetoric directed at police officers".

"I got questions of this variety when Prime Minister Netanyahu had announced that Ambassador Dermer would be the Israeli envoy to the United States", Earnest said during a White House press briefing on Thursday. "Those are concerns the president shares".

And for these societal criticisms-for acknowledging the times racism has affected him personally, for having the temerity to suggest that police departments are, perhaps, not entirely ideal, and that they need to better investigate incidents of police violence in clear and transparent ways-President Obama is accused of not being on the side of the police.

Taylor said that the majority of the officers who shielded her were white, and said the experience made her "admiration for police greater", while acknowledging that she always admired the efforts of law enforcement.

"At the end of the day, I can give a nice speech, we can have a town hall, we can - the justice department can investigate certain cases or provide assistance and training to police officers so that they're safe".

Even still, some law enforcement leaders have accused Obama of scapegoating police when he calls on their departments to root out bias. "The pace of change is going to feel too fast for some, too slow for others".

Obama said that he'd met Shetamia Taylor and her husband, Jermar's parents, immediately after meeting with the families of the five police officers who died in Dallas. "What we can do", he said, is to set up a series of respectful conversations to make sure we hold ourselves accountable for getting better. We have to, as a country, sit down and just grind it out, solve these problems.

Toya Graham, 44, who attended the town hall with her son, Michael, said that although she had sent him away because of her own fears for his life, he has been returning to the neighborhood on weekends.

America's fraught debate about tensions between blacks and police spilled over Thursday into hang-wringing about societal problems seen as beyond any one person's capacity to fix - even the president.

The discussion focused on the seeming friction between Black Lives Matter supporters and supporters of police men and women. What are the loved ones of officers supposed to do after Dallas, an event that seemed to confirm the worst fears of police-that they are indeed targets of murderous hate? In a statement, Cornyn said: "As our country continues to grieve following last week's tragedy in Dallas".